Vestibule for locomotives and tenders



F. F. SCOVILLE. VESTIBULE FOR LOCOMOTIVES AND TENDERS.

APPLICATION FILED ]AN.3I. 1922. I

Patented 00 0. M, 1922.

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WIITNESSIES? F. F. SCOVILLE. VEST|BU LE FOR LOCOMOTIVES AND TENDERS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 31, I922.

Patented Oct w, mm,

WITN ESSES:

F. F. SCOVILLE. VESTIBULE FOR LOCOMOTIVES AND TENDERS- APPLICATION FILED JAN. 31, 1922- Pmnm @Gt WITN E5955 F. F. SCOVILLE. VESTIBULE FOR LOCOMOTIVES AND TENDERS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 31, I922.

Patented; Oct. 10, 1922.

HASLOOSQ s SHEEIS-SHEE1 4.

F. F. SCOVILLE.

VESTIBULE FOR LOCOMOTIVES AND TENDERS. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 31. 1922.. 1 431 3 Patented 0015.14), 1922.

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45 I vation, of one of the inverted pendulum FRANK r. soovrnriiz, or sonnnncrn oy, ivnw Yonn.

VESTIBULE non LOCOMOTIVES nn "rnnnnns.

Application filed January 31, 1922. Serial No. 532,951.

To all who met may concern: I

Be it known that I, FRANK F. SoovILLE, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady and State of New York, have invented a'certain new and useful Improvement in Vestibules for Locomotives and Tenders, of which improvement the following is a specification. I I

My invention relates to vestibule structures applied at the adjoiningends of locomotives and tenders, for thepurpose'of protecting the engine crew from :rain, wind, and intensely cold or inclement weather, and its object is to providea structure of such character, which shall be of simple and inexpensive construction, ready applicability to connection with locomotives and tenders of present standard practice, with a minimum of alterations -or new parts, and the capa- I bility of maintenance of tight closure of its breakage or derangement, I I

The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth: 1

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side view of the adjoining portions of a locomotive and tender, illustrating an application of my invention; Fig. 2, a view, the right hand half of which is a rear elevation' of the locomotive cab,and the left hand half, a front view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of the tender cab; Fig. 3, a side view, partly in section and on an enlarged scale, of the appliance; Fig. 4-, a plan view, partly in section, illustrating the tender as deflected laterally on a track curve; Fig. 5, a plan view of the upper .por tion of the appliance, with the tender in the same relative position as in Fig. 4;Fig. 6, a perspective view of a spring hinge; Fig. 7.; a plan view, on a smaller scale, of. the same, showing its relation to locomotive and ten der cab rubbing plates, and disposition with an elastic diaphragm; Fig. 8, a view, in elejoints, without undue friction or liability to side door hinges; Fig, 9, a similar view of the same, taken at a right angle'toFig. 8; and, Fig. 10, a side view, in elevation, of the construction shown in Fig. 7. i

In thepractice of my invention, referring descriptively to the specific embodiment thereof which is hereln exemplified, as ap plied in connection with a locomotive, indicated, asa whole, byythe reference letter A,

and itstender, indicateohas awhole, by the reference letter B, a stationary enclosure or tendercab, 1*, provided with sides and a roof; iserected upon the forward portion of the tender, its forward end being located ad a'cent to the rear end of the locomotive cab, 2. I The tender cab is provided with side openings closed by doors, 1*, and the locomotive cab has no side openings or doors, access to it being had through the tender: cab. As'indicated in Fig. 4;, the tender cab extends only part of the width of the floor ofthe tender, and being substantially less in width than the forward portion ofvthe tender, comparatively wide unobstructed'landings or platforms, 6, are presented on the outersides of the doors.

In order to protect the engine crew from inclement weather, the spaces between the locomotive and tender cabs, which are necessary to permitrelative movement of the two coupled vestibules, are closed by automatically movable metal appliances, hereinafter described, the rubber diaphragms applied in passenger car vestibulesnot being desirably adapted for use, byreason of the action that would be exerted upon them by heat, coal dust, and sparks.

I The doors, 1, of the tender cab, are hung on inverted pendulum hinges, 3, so that the movements of opening and closing are partially vertical and partially lateral, thereby enabling the doors to bemore readily freed from ice and snow, and more readily operatedthan doors of the swinging type. In the plan-view, Fig. 4, the door 1, on the left hand side of'the tender cab, is shown landing-sat the outer side of the doorsare well within the track clearance line, promoting safety to trainmen or enginemen entering or leaving the locomotive cab, when the locomotive is in motion.

The' end facing of the tender cab, 1, toward the locomotive, is constructed of heavy angle bars or IL shaped plates, 5 5, forming a substantially U shaped trough, which is stiffened by being filled with timber, except for spaces left for springs'hereinafter described! This facing fits in a U shaped trough or channel, 6, of flanged plate, which ispressed forwardly by springs, 7, the face 'ofits convex sidebeing capable of a limited degree of movement in three directions, i. e.,

the hinge springs, 9

translation horizontally, with reference to the longitudinal centre line of the locomotive; vertical inclination and transverse inclination.

A vertical timber backing, 8, stiffened and faced with metal plates, 8 is secured to each side of the rear of the locomotive cab, 2. Spring hinges, 9, are pivoted to the rear of said cab, and curved vertical rubbing plates, 10, rigidly secured to said hinges are fitted to slide on the faces of the backings, 8. Constant outward pressure is exerted on the hinges, 9, by springs, 9. Flat vertical rubhing plates, 11, are pivotally coupled to the hinges, 9, and are pressed against the troughs of channels, 6, of the tender cab, by The rubbing plates 10 and 11, by their contact with the backings, 8, and troughs or channels, 6, maintain complete and constant closure of the sides of the passage way between the engine and tender, against the weather. Flexible diaphragms, 12, may be substituted for the curved rubbing plates, 10, as shown in Figs. 7 and 10.

The closure of the top of the passage way between the engine and tender is effected by the following means. An L section rubbing plate, 14, the rear vertical flange member of which is of substantial depth, is loosely pivotally connected to an angle plate, 14 at the top of the rear end of the locomotive cab, 2, by a pin, 14 A long semi-elliptic spring, 15, fixed to the back of the engine cab, bears, at its ends, on the vertical memberof the rubbing plate, 14, and forces said member of the plate into contact with the upper horizontal portion of the trough or channel, 6, of the tender cab, irrespective of the angle that may be formed between the faces of the engine and tender cabs, in service. The plate, 14, also bears on the tops of the curved rubbing plates, 10, the upper portions of which are provided with lips, 10, to afford adequate bearing and prevent excessive wear. The ends of the plates, 10', are made flush with those of the plates, 11, and also hear on the plate, 14, thereby effectively closing the top of the passage Way.

The bottom of the passage way between the engine and tender is formed by the apron, 16, which is coupled by links, 16, to the facing of the tender cab.

Reviewing the leading features of'the construction above described, it will be seen that, under my invention, the opening for communication between the locomotive cab and the coal space of the tender is enclosed, at its rear, by a tender cab which carries a floating frame of channel section, bent up from steel plates, which acts as a rubbing plate by contacting with the rubbing plates of the locomotive. Three are comprised in the latter, that at the top being of ,L section, and having its vertical member held in contact with the opposing portion of the tender face plate, by spring pressure and its horizontal member suitably guide( to provide for the sidewise swivelling of the engine and tender and to keep the upper part of the passage way efllectively closed against the weather. The side plates of the cab opening on which the top rubbing plate rests, are rigidly secured to the hinges, and are curved on arcs concentric with the hinge fulcrums, so as to maintain only the necessary clearance as they move across the sides of the passage. This clearance may be closely sealed by weather strips, if desired. Rubbing plates, pivoted to the free ends of the spring hinges, are brought into, and maintained in, fair contact with the tender rubbing plates, by means of torsion springs, held in position by the hinges, without bringing strain upon them and bearing on the cab at their opposite ends. Three separate plates are therefore provided for contact between the engine and tender cabs, and two other plates to form walls at the sides of the cab doorways.

The doors are adapted to swing back and forth, in the manner of elevator doors, but are carried on inverted pendulum hinges. This suspension ensures that the doors will stand either fully open or fully closed, and disposes of them with the least possible occupation of floor sJace. Their location at the sides of the coal space of the tender is a convenient one.

The special requirement of the rubbing plates is to accommodate the swivelling movements of the engine and tender on curves, and the normal action of thecontact plates on the engine cab is to this end only. The flexibility required for relative vertical movements is provided for by the floating rubbing plates constituted by the troughs or channels on the front of the tender cab and. the springs therein.

The doors, 1*, are held in open or closed positions by double armed latches, 17, pivoted on the tender cabs, and having a mortised stile for the closed position. and a surface stile for the open position. Hooks and strikers, 17, are fastened to the inside of the door pockets to engage the latches in open position, and slots in the door frames hold them when shut. In both opening and closing a single pressure will unlatcli and move the door.

The rear wall of the engine cab is stiffened to resist the pressure against it. by the insertions of rolled shapes of angle form, the spaces between them being filled in with Wood, for reinforcement and finish. These may be built either inside or outside. Unobstructed landing places are provided on the tender, by reason of the limitation of width of the tender cab, and the absence of swinging doors, and passage over the top of the tank, outside of the vestibule, is afforded,

15 and a tender, of a cab, at the rear of the for the performance of any duty calling for a man on the top or back of the tender, as he would not be obliged to go down beside the track. The location of the rubbing plates is materially more desirable than if the engine cab walls were extended backwardly to enclose the side entrances, as these are brought closer to the intersection of the longitudinal central vertical planes of the locomotive and tender on curved track and the amount of lateral motion of'the rubbing plates is correspondingly reduced.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination, with a locomotive locomotive; a cab, at the front of the tender; a rubbing plate, of U section, fitting, by its side flanges, on the front of the tender cab; coacting rubbing plates, on the rear of the locomotive cab; and means for maintaining said plates in contact With the rubbing plates of the tender cab.

52. The combination, with a locomotive and a tender, of a cab, at the rear of the locomotive; a cab, at the front of the tender; a rubbing plate, of U section, fitting, by its side flanges, on the front of the tender cab; coacting rubbing plates, on the rear of the locomotive cab; and springs imposing tension by which they rubbing plates of the locomotive and tender cabs are maintained in contact.

3. The combination, with a locomotive and a tender, of a cab, at the rear of the locomotive; a cab, at the front of the tender; a facing, formed of angle plates fixed to the front of the tender cab; a rubbing plate, of U section, fitting on said facing; springs interposed between said plate and facing; and coacting rubber plates, on the rear of the locomotive cab, bearing on the U section rubbing plate.

4. The combination, with a locomotive and a tender, of a cab, at the rear of the locomotive; a cab, at the front of the tender; a rubbing plate, of U section, fitting on the front of-the tender cab, at the top and sides thereof; a top rubbing plate, coupled to the rear of the locomotive cab and bearing on the top member of the rubbing plate of the tender cab; side rubbing plates, coupled to the rear of the locomotive cab and bearing on the side members of the rubbing plate of the tender cab; and springs, imposing tension by which the rubbing plates of the locomotive and tender cabs are maintained in contact.

5. The combination, with a locomotiveand a tender; of a cab, at the rear of the locomotive; a cab, at the front of the tender; a rubbingplate, extending across the front of the tender cab, at the top thereof; a rubbing plate pivotally connected to the rear of the locomotive cab, so as to be movable, in accordance with changes of position of the locomotive, relatively to the tender, and bearing on the rubbing plate of the tender cab; side rubbing plates, fitting on the front of the tender cab; side rubbing plates bearing thereon and hinged to the rear of the locomotive cab; and springs, imposing tension, by which the rubbing plates of the locomotive and tender cabs are maintained in contact.

6, The combination, with a locomotive and a tender, of a cab, at the rear of the locomotive; a cab, at the front of the tender; a floating rubbing plate, of U section, extending across the front of the tender cab, and adapted to angular movement vertically and horizontally, but restrained laterally; a

co-acting rubbing plate, coupled to the rear of the locomotive cab, at the top thereof, and adapted to angular movement horizontally and longitudinal movement, but restrained vertically and laterally; vertical rubbing plates hinged to the rear of the locomotive cab; springs, maintaining said plates, in contact with the rubbing plate of the tender cab; and curved vertical side plates extending over the spaces between the vertical rubbing plates and the rear of the locomotive cab.

7. The combination, with a locomotive and a tender, of a cab, at the rear of the locomotive; a cab, located at the front of the tender, and of width substantially less than that of the floor of the tender so as to present unobstructed landings or platforms at its sides; an enclosed passageway, interposed between the locomotive and tender cabs; and doors, closing side openings in the tender cab afi ording access thereto from said landings or platforms.

8. The combination, with alocomotive and a tender, of a cab, at the rear of the locomotive; a cab, at the front of the tender; an enclosed passageway, interposed between the locomotive and tender cabs; side doors, closing openingsin the tender cab; and inverted pendulum hinges on which said doors are suspended, so as to be held by gravity either fully open or fully closed.

Y FRANK F. SCOVILLE. Witnesses BERTI-IA C. FABosKAY, ELsrn K. PAINTER. 

